Emily Von Hausen
Free Materials
Below are free materials I have made based on themes that have often come up in sessions. Sometimes it is helpful to have something physically in front of you during difficult moments, when it may be hard to remember tools and skills.
Steps to Building Self-compassion when feeling activated
Both of these take you through how to hold compassionate space for yourself when you have been activated by something in your surroundings. When this happens, you might feel the urge to fight/flee/freeze/fawn, and may be confused as to why you are feeling this way. The most important thing to do in this situation is to hold those feelings compassionately and non-judgmentally, rather than trying to push them away.
When reacting to a "vague" past threat
This version may be helpful if you know your body is reacting to past situations and not the present moment, but there is not absolute clarity behind what the reaction is about. Sometimes we can logically "know" the current situation is safe, but our body can still feel like it is not. These steps take you through how to reassure your body that you are safe.
When reacting to a specific past threat
Sometimes when we are activated by past circumstances, we know exactly what our body and nervous system is reacting to, and we find ourselves in a specific past state of fear. In this case, this version may be helpful to use, because it specifically involves nurturing the past version of yourself that feels unsafe now.